Woman accused of performing surgery on own dog offered in-home dog care service

Friday

Jun 23, 2017 at 2:19 PMJun 27, 2017 at 10:18 AM

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com

An Ames woman who police say killed her dog while performing surgery on it at home has advertised a dog-sitting business out of her home for at least a year.

Sarah Diane McMenamin, 26, was arrested last week and charged with animal neglect, a serious misdemeanor.

According to court documents, police found the 2 1/2-month-old mixed breed dog dead in McMenamin’s home after she brought it to Iowa State University VetMed. Veterinarians there recommended she take her dog to a private clinic for further treatment.

Ames Police Cmdr. Geoff Huff said McMenamin scheduled the second appointment, but failed to show and veterinarians at ISU VetMed alerted police. The veterinarians told authorities the dog was likely to be euthanized at that appointment, he said.

McMenamin told officers she cut open her dog with a paring knife and tongs to remove an “obstructed object,” according to court documents.

Huff said McMenamin also told officers she grew up on a farm, and because of her experiences on a farm, she felt confident in performing the surgery.

McMenamin solicited customers by posting to a Boone community page on Facebook last June, posting a flyer for “Home Away Fur Paws” and indicating she had multiple years of experience with dogs. She requested customers contact her directly on Facebook to make arrangements.

“There are 3 dogs that live at the home that are kind and playful,” part of the advertisement reads.

“Home Away Fur Paws” also has a private Facebook group moderated by McMenamin with 31 members.

McMenamin is also listed as a dog sitter on PetSitter.com, where she also advertising her service.

McMenamin has since bonded out of the Story County jail. Her initial court appearance is set for Monday in Story County District Court in Nevada.

Attempts to reach McMenamin at the phone number listed on her PetSitter profile were unsuccessful.

Huff said officers did not find other pets in the house when they arrested McMenamin, but would work with Ames Animal Control to care for other animals if found.